ALBUM REVIEW: Equinox – Equilibrium
Listening to EQUILIBRIUM is a bit like sitting through an epic movie that doesn’t exist. The Germans are theoretically a folk metal band, but in truth, they’re closer to a metallicised take on film soundtracks where everything is turned up to eleventy stupid. Their seventh album Equinox is big, booming, and so over the top it’s almost a parody of itself. But it’s also remarkably good. It’s a thundering great war saga that evokes heroism and tragedy in equal measure. If you need to get the riders of Rohan pumped up before charging onto the Pelennor Fields, look no further.
It’s also likely to be something of a make or break for EQUILIBRIUM. It’s been six years since their last one and they’ve been through a few changes since then. Singer Fabian Getto has been part of the band since 2023, but this is his first full length with them and there’s also some minor controversy surrounding a few of their artistic choices of late. Fans of their classic Sagas period are still holding out for a return to their old style, while the decision to write songs in English has upset a few folks.
But while old school EQUILIBRIUM supporters will once again feel let down, Equinox is a blast. Fabian equips himself well as the new(ish) frontman and he’s got some absolute bangers to show off with. For instance, mid-album highlight, I’ll Be Thunder is huge! It’s a barnstorming and highly addictive folk-metal anthem, with pan flutes and guitars sitting comfortably alongside one another, a colossal breakdown in the third act, and a chorus to die for.
The opening Earth Tongue comes across like a pagan ritual with a blockbuster budget, while first track proper Awakening is an adrenaline-charged mosh starter. This is not jaunty, dance-around-the-maypole folk metal, it’s bare-chested, sword-waving with hardcore vocals and biceps the size of basketballs. Hell, even the token breathing space of Borrowed Waters is more hyped than a toddler on Christmas Eve.
This does have the slight drawback of making Equinox rather exhausting, but it’s hard to argue with the likes of Bloodwood or the thousand-drum battle march of Nexus. It’s also worth mentioning that EQUILIBRIUM are a rarity among western folk-metal; they have a far Eastern touch to their music, and evoke Wuxia soundscapes as much as medieval and fantasy imagery.
If you’re still pining for the darker, heavier EQUILIBRIUM, Equinox won’t scratch that itch. However, once you accept the power-folk metal hybrid that they’ve evolved into, it’s terrific fun. Equinox is a welcome return for these lads and a late contender for one of the best of 2025. No, they’re not as overtly German as they once were, but Equinox is an upbeat, life-affirming joy.
Rating: 8/10
Equinox is out now via Nuclear Blast Records.
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